Guitar tuner

ABSTRACT

The body of a tuning device is secured by a strap to the fingerboard of a stringed instrument spaced by projecting feet from the strings. Lever elements pivotally mounted in slots at opposite edges of the body are selectively displaceable into engagement with the strings over two of the frets to accommodate tuning of each string in sequence while unfretted, to the tone of a preceding fretted string.

United States Patent [191 Round June 25, 1974 l 5 GUITAR TUNER 3,680,427 23/1373 galentinol 84434525); Inventor: we l Roun 1741 P 3,704,646 l /l 7. .ms et ,1,

Eureka Cahf' 95501 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson [22] Filed: Oct. 2, 1972 Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales [21] A I No 294 474 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. O'Brien; Harpp vey B. Jacobson [52] US. Cl. 6124/;154 [57] ABSTRACT I 24? The body of a tuning device is secured by a strap to 84/453455 the fingerboard of a stringed instrument spaced by projecting feet from the strings. Lever elements pivot- [56] Reerences Cited ally mounted in slots at opposite edges of the body are selectively displaceable into engagement with the UNITED A PATENTS strings over two-of the frets to accommodate tuning of l t fi each string in sequence while unfretted, to the tone of or [C i f "d 2,961,913 ll/l960 Popkin 84/455 aprece mg re e S rmg 3,230,816 H1966 Jira' 84/315 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures GUITAR TUNER This invention relates to devices for facilitatingthe tuning of stringed musical instruments such as guitars.

Various devices attachable to the fingerboard of a string instrument, have been devised for string tuning purposes. Such prior devices usually involve one or more slidable elements that are displaceable to a position aligned with a string over a fret, and are then slidably projected into engagement with a string or retracted. Use of such prior devices is slow and requires precise manual manipulations. In another tuning device of this type, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,427 to Valentino, a single tuning body is angularly displaced between a plurality of positions for selective engagement of different strings and must be moved from one fret location-to another in order to properly tune all of the strings. Use of the latter type of tuning device is therefore complicated and confusing. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a tuning device of the aforementioned type that is easier and less confusing to use for more rapid tuning of the strings.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. I is a perspective view of the tuning device showing its underside.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the tuning device.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a fingerboard of a guitar showing the location at which the tuning device is to be mounted.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the fingerboard with the tuning device mounted thereon.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the tuning device generally denoted by reference numeral is adapted to be mounted on a conventional fingerboard l2of a guitar having six parallel strings overlying longitudinally spaced, transverse frets 16. The device 10 includes a body 18 dimensioned so as to fit the fingerboard as shown by dotted line in FIG. 3. Thus, the body 18 has a lateral dimension-substantially equal to the width of the fingerboard and a longitudinal dimension between the straight edge 20 and curved edge 22 exceeding the spacing between adjacent frets 16. Accord ingly, the body 18 as shown in FIG. 3 is positioned on the fingerboard overlying the fourth and fifth frets.

The body 18 is secured to the fingerboard by an elastic, cloth strap 24 attached permanently to one side 26 of the body by a fastener 28 and hooked onto the other side 30 by means of a pin head 32 received within a metal eyelet 34. A pair of feet elements 36 project from the underside of the body and engage the surface of the fingerboard between the strings and the frets so as to space the body from the strings. The elements 36 therefore extend longitudinally'a distance less than the spacing between frets and in spaced relation to the edges 20 and 22 of the body.

The edge 20 is provided with a plurality of slots 38 through which a pivot pin or axle 40 extends between the sides 26 and 30 adjacent to edge 20. A plurality of lever elements 42 are pivotally mounted by the pin 40 with snug fits within the slots 38. Similarly, a single lever element 44 is pivotally mounted by a pin 46 within a slot 48 formed in the edge 22 of the body. The four slots 38 are respectively aligned with string Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 while slot 48 is aligned'with string No. 3 as labelled in FIG. 4. The lever elements 42 and 44 are accordingly engageable with corresponding strings when pivotally displaced from the unfretted positions shown by solid lines in FIG. 2 to the fretted position shown by dotted line.

Each of the lever elements, as more clearly seen in FIG. 2, has a string engaging formation that extends longitudinally from the edge of the body in the unfretted position of the lever element and is therefore spaced by the feet elements 36 from the strings. In the fretted position, the formation 50 depends below the body and engages a string in underlying alignment with the pivot pin 40 or 46 so that the upward pressure of the string tension will not tend to pivotally displace the lever element. The snug fit of the lever element in its slot 38 or 48 will furthermore frictionally retain the lever element in its fretted or unfretted position.

To use the tuning device, the body is attached to the fingerboard by means of the strap 24 in a position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with all but No. l lever element 42 fretting string No. 2 raised to the unfretted position.

String No. l is then tuned by regulating its tension in a manner well known by either estimating the pitch or matching it with a concert E of other instruments. The No. 2 lever element 44 is then lowered to engage string No. 3 on the fourth fret and No. l lever element 42 raised to unfret No. 2 string. The No. 2 string may then be tuned. This sequence is repeated so as to tune each string while the adjacent following string is fretted by a lever element, each string being fretted along the fifth fret except for No. 3 string.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A device for use in tuning a stringed instrument having an elongated fingerboard, a plurality of substantially parallel strings thereon and a plurality of frets extending transversely across the strings in underlying relation, comprising a body dimensioned to be substantially equal in width to the fingerboard and longitudinally along the fingerboard greater than the spacing between adjacent frets, means for holding the body on the fingerboard in overlying relation to all of the strings and two of the frets, means projecting from the body into engagement with the fingerboard between the strings and the frets for spacing the body from the strings, a plurality of lever elements having string engaging formations, and means pivotally mounting said lever elements on the body in alignment with said strings for selectively engaging said formations with the strings in response to displacement of the lever elements from unfretted to fretted positions, said body ineluding opposite edges having slots within which the lever elements are frictionally held by snug fits in the fretted and unfretted positions.

frets while the other of the lever elements is aligned over the other of the two frets.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of pivot pins respectively positioned by the body in overlying relation to the two frets.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said string engaging formations project longitudinally from the edges of the body in the unfretted positions of the lever elements and depend below the body in the fretted positions. 7

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said spacing means comprises at least two feet elements projecting from an underside of the body longitudinally between said slots.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said spacing means comprises at least two feet elements projecting from an underside of the body longitudinally between said slots.

7. A device for use in tuning a stringed instrument having an elongated fingerboard, a plurality of substantially parallel strings thereon and a plurality of frets extending transversely across the strings in underlying relation, comprising a body dimensioned to be substantially equal in width to the fingerboard and longitudinally along the fingerboard greater than the spacing between adjacent frets, means for holding the body on the fingerboard in overlying relation to all of the strings and two of the frets, means projecting from the body into engagement with the fingerboard between the strings and the frets for spacing the body from the strings, a plurality of lever elements having string engaging formations, and means pivotally mounting said lever elements on the body in alignment with said strings for selectively engaging said formations with the strings in response to displacement of the lever elements from unfretted to fretted positions, said string engaging formations projecting longitudinally from the elements and depending below the body in the fretted positions. 

1. A device for use in tuning a stringed instrument having an elongated fingerboard, a plurality of substantially parallel strings thereon and a plurality of frets extending transversely across the strings in underlying relation, comprising a body dimensioned to be substantially equal in width to the fingerboard and longitudinally along the fingerboard greater than the spacing between adjacent frets, means for holding the body on the fingerboard in overlying relation to all of the strings and two of the frets, means projecting from the body into engagement with the fingerboard between the strings and the frets for spacing the body from the strings, a plurality of lever elements having string engaging formations, and means pivotally mounting said lever elements on the body in alignment with said strings for selectively engaging said formations with the strings in response to displacement of the lever elements from unfretted to fretted positions, said body including opposite edges having slots within which the lever elements are frictionally held by snug fits in the fretted and unfretted positions.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least one of the lever elements is positioned over one of the two frets while the other of the lever elements is aligned over the other of the two frets.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of pivot pins respectivelY positioned by the body in overlying relation to the two frets.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said string engaging formations project longitudinally from the edges of the body in the unfretted positions of the lever elements and depend below the body in the fretted positions.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said spacing means comprises at least two feet elements projecting from an underside of the body longitudinally between said slots.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said spacing means comprises at least two feet elements projecting from an underside of the body longitudinally between said slots.
 7. A device for use in tuning a stringed instrument having an elongated fingerboard, a plurality of substantially parallel strings thereon and a plurality of frets extending transversely across the strings in underlying relation, comprising a body dimensioned to be substantially equal in width to the fingerboard and longitudinally along the fingerboard greater than the spacing between adjacent frets, means for holding the body on the fingerboard in overlying relation to all of the strings and two of the frets, means projecting from the body into engagement with the fingerboard between the strings and the frets for spacing the body from the strings, a plurality of lever elements having string engaging formations, and means pivotally mounting said lever elements on the body in alignment with said strings for selectively engaging said formations with the strings in response to displacement of the lever elements from unfretted to fretted positions, said string engaging formations projecting longitudinally from the edges of the body in the unfretted positions of the lever elements and depending below the body in the fretted positions. 